Authentic Luxury Comes to Dallas

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This new custom home by Avida Homes featured un-lacquered faucets and hardware for an authentic look, which makes it feel more luxurious. (Photo: Lisa Stewart Photography)

What’s in a name? Everything, especially if you are talking about home design. Our Dallas housing market is robust right now, and it made us think about the words and names that builders and Realtors use to describe their homes. One of the most overused terms is “luxury,” and it’s used to describe everything from a large bath in a $100,000 home to the lifestyle that’s offered in a $10 million home.

When we heard that ROHL was coming to Dallas with their Auth Lux Summit, we were anxious to hear what they had to say.

Denise McGaha of Denise McGaha Interiors hosts Auth Lux Summit in Dallas.

ROHL defines “authentic luxury” as, “where original design and a commitment to craft come together, connecting, touch of hand, truth in materials and place of origin.”

Telling their story in a way that stands out was a challenge that they tackled by putting together the ROHL Designer Guild and having their inaugural members Denise McGaha, Julia Buckingham, and Marcia Tucker host seminars in their home cities to share this approach.

ROHL Auth Lux Designer Guild member Julia Buckingham shares design trends. (Photo: Lisa Stewart Photography)

We caught up with Julia Buckingham at the World Market Center in Las Vegas to learn what she thought would be important for the rest of this decade, and Denise McGaha, owner of Denise McGaha Interiors hosted the Dallas event.

Author and luxury marketing expert Pam Danziger shared with us what is happening in marketing and design. Today’s hot marketing buzzword is “authenticity,” which ties in perfectly with the Authentic Luxury movement. What defines an Authentic Luxury brand? It’s real inside and out, is without compare, has a luxurious feeling, provides the ultimate quality and experience, is authentic through the entire value chain, and is a trusted authority. Having small groups like this come together to be educated about what makes a brand and authentic is definitely a trend we’ll be seeing more of.

Authentic Luxury whispers, never shouts, and elevating the everyday is the ultimate luxury. Are our Dallas builders living up to these definitions with their “luxury” homes?

When I wrote about a new custom home by Avida Custom Homes, there were lots of beautiful details in every room, but the one that I remember the most were the finish that they added top many of the faucets and hardware in the home. They removed the lacquered finish from the brass so that they would develop a patina that would change over time — something that we are now seeing as a an important trend. Those little details and stories take a home from being luxurious to being authentic and luxurious. Learning the stories behind ROHL, Thermador, and Rutt Handcrafted Cabinetry made me appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into each item they craft, and the love and attention to detail that each offers.

I’m hoping that this trend catches on even more than it already has in Dallas, and that home buyers will appreciate more than ever the craftsmanship so many of our homes offer, especially some of our historical homes. My dream has always been to own an authentic Dilbeck, but for now restoring my 1941 printing factory/live work space will keep me busy.

Appreciating the authentic, unique qualities that are in a home is something I’ll be doing a lot more of after attending this wonderful, thought provoking summit.

Lifestylist® Suzanne Felber is one of those lucky people who truly loves what she does. By helping consumers discover their “inner-stylist”, Felber has helped thousands of homeowners design their own spaces to reflect their personalities and their lifestyles.
Felber lives in her own Home Idea Factory - a circa 1942 factory that previously housed a printing company in Oak Cliff. She and her brood of rescue cats and dogs have been busy using the building as the perfect place to try out different ideas and products that she is excited to share here.

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